Ан-Нур 24:55–60

Commentary

Background of Revelation

Qurtubi has reported on authority of Abul ` Aliyah that the Holy Prophet ﷺ stayed in Makkah for ten years after commencement of revelation and declaration of prophethood, during which time there was a constant fear of the infidels and disbelievers. Then after the Hijrah to Madina also there was a ceaseless danger of attacks from the disbelievers. So, someone asked the Holy Prophet ﷺ "Would a time come to us when we will be able to live in peace without wearing our weaponry?' The Holy Prophet ﷺ replied ` Yes, the time is coming very soon'. On that occasion these verses were revealed. (Qurtubi and Bahr). Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn 'Abbas ؓ ، has said that these verses relate the promise of Allah Ta’ ala, which He had made with the Ummah of Muhammad ﷺ before their creation in the Torah and the Injil. (Bahr Muhit)

Allah Ta’ ala had made three promises to the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، that his Ummah will be made His vicegerent on earth and will rule over it, and His favourite religion Islam will be made victorious, and Muslims will be given so much power and grandeur that they will have no fear of any one. Allah Ta’ ala fulfilled His promise by conferring conquest over Makkah, Khaibar, Bahrain, and the whole of Yemen and the entire peninsula of Arabia even during the lifetime of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . Also he received jizyah, (capitation tax) from the Zoroastrians of Hajar and some Syrian territories. The kings and rulers of Rome, Egypt, Iskandria, Oman and Ethiopia sent gifts to the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، and gave him honour and respect. Then during his caliphate Sayyidna Abu Bakr ؓ crushed all the menacing uprisings. He also sent out Islamic armies to Persia, Syria and Egypt. Busra and Damascus also fell to Islamic State during this time.

When the time of death of Sayyidna Abu Bakr ؓ approached nearer, Allah Ta’ ala put an inspiration in his heart to nominate Sayyidna ` Umar Ibn Khattab ؓ as his successor. When Sayyidna ` Umar Ibn Khattab ؓ took charge of the caliphate, it was so wonderful that the heavens had not witnessed such grand governance after the governance of the messengers. During his caliphate the entire land of Syria and Egypt and major part of Persia were overpowered. It was during his time that the grandeur of Caesar and Chosroes were vanished. After that period, during the caliphate of Sayyidna ` Uthman ؓ the Islamic victories extended from the East to the West. In the west up to Cyprus and Andalucia, and in the east up to China. Besides, ` Iraq, Khorasan and Ahwaz all fell to Islamic State during the time of third Caliph. What the Holy Prophet ﷺ has said according to a Sahih Hadith that he was shown the entire east and west of the earth by bringing them together, and that the rule of his Ummah will extend up to all those places which have been shown to him; this promise was fulfilled by Allah Ta’ ala even during the time of caliphate Sayyidna ` Uthman ؓ . (Ibn Kathir)

According to another hadith the Holy Prophet ﷺ has said that caliphate will last for thirty years after him. Here, the word caliphate means the Rightly Guided Caliphate (Al-Khilafah-ar-Rashidah), which was run exactly on the footsteps of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . It lasted up to the time of Sayyidna ` Ali ؓ ، because this period of thirty years was finished after him.

At this point Ibn Kathir has also reported a hadith from Sahih Muslim, that Sayyidna Jabir Ibn Samurah ؓ has said that he had heard the Holy Prophet ﷺ saying that his Ummah will continue ruling until the twelve caliphs last. After narrating this Ibn Kathir has commented that this hadith is pointing that there will be twelve upright caliphs in the Muslim Ummah, which is bound to happen. However, it is not necessary that all twelve come one after the other and there is no gap in between, rather it is more likely that they turn up with an interval of time. Out of this lot, four Rightly Guided Khulafa' had appeared one after the other immediately after the Holy Prophet ﷺ . The next was Sayyidna ` Umar Ibn ` Abdul ` Aziz (رح) who came after a gap of some time. A few others also appeared in different times after him and will continue to come until the last caliph Sayyidna Mahdiyy comes. There is no mention in the hadith of those twelve caliphs which the Shiites have determined. Rather some of them are those who have no connection with the caliphate at all. It is also not necessary that all of them would be of the same status, and during their time there would be complete peace and tranquility. This promise is related to rectitude and firmness of faith, the righteous deeds and total obedience, and any difference in their degree will naturally make difference in the power and control of authority. Islamic history spread over a period of 1400 years is a witness that in different times and different , countries whenever and wherever there was a just and righteous ruler, he has received his share from this promise of Allah based on the extent of righteous deeds he has performed. At another place, the Qur'an says إِنَّ حِزْبَ اللَّهِ هُمُ الْغَالِبُونَ that is ` The people of Allah are the ones to prevail.'

This verse is a proof of approval and esteem in the sight of Allah of the four rightly guided Khulafa'

This verse is also a proof of the prophethood of the Holy Prophet ﷺ because the forecast he had made came true exactly in the manner he had predicted. The same way it is also a proof of acceptance and approval of the caliphate of AI-Khulafa' ar-Rashidin in the sight of Allah. It is for the simple reason that the promise Allah Ta’ ala had made with His Messenger and his Ummah was completely fulfilled during the lifetime of the four Sahabah. If the caliphate of the earlier caliphs is not regarded legitimate and true, as claimed by some Rawafd, then the Qur'anic promise has not been fulfilled as yet. Then the argument put forward by Rawafid that the Qur'anic promise will be fulfilled during the life of Sayyidna Mahdiyy is but ridiculous, as it will amount to saying that for full 1400 years the ` Ummah will live in disgrace and misery, and nearing the Dooms Day when he will get the rule, only that period is referred by this promise. The fact of the matter is that the conditions of faith and righteous deeds, on which this promise was made by Allah Ta’ ala, were present in these Sahabah to the perfection and in totality. In reality Allah's promise was fulfilled in totality in their lifetime only. After that neither the degree of faith and deeds was maintained at that level, nor the dignity of caliphate and governance could be retained.

وَمَن كَفَرَ‌ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ

And whoever turns infidel after that, then such people are the transgressors - 24:55.

The literal meaning of the word Kufr is thanklessness and in conventional sense it is the antonym of faith. In this verse there is room for taking either of the two meanings. Thus the meaning of the verse is that when Allah Ta’ ala fulfills His promise and bestows power, authority, peace and satisfaction to the Muslims, and stability to Islam, and after that someone turns apostate or avoids obeying the rules of the Islamic State, then such a person is a transgressor. In the first place he has lost the faith, and secondly, stopped obeying the rules and regulations of the Islamic State. Kufr and ingratitude are great sins in any situation, but after the establishment of Islamic rule, authority and grandeur the intensity of these sins is doubled. That is why it is emphasized by the words بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ (after that). Imam Baghawi (رح) has said that the scholars of Tafsir have explained that this Qur'anic sentence came true for the first time on those who assassinated the ruling caliph Sayyidna ` Uthman ؓ . When they committed this great sin, the referred graces of Allah Ta’ ala were reduced, and they were afflicted with fear and fright because of mutual killings and massacre. Despite the fact that they were like brothers to each other, they got involved in mutual killing. Baghawi has related on his own authority an address by Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn Salam ؓ ، which he delivered at the time of commotion against Sayyidna ` Uthman ؓ . The wordings of the address are as follows:

"The angels of Allah had cordoned your city for security ever since the Holy Prophet ﷺ had come to Madinah, and this measure was continuing until today. By God, if you assassinate ` Uthman, these angels will go back, and will never return again. By god, whoever from you will kill him will present himself before Allah with his hands cut. He will be without his hands. And know that Allah's sword was in its sheath so far. By God, if this sword comes out of its sheath, it shall never go back in sheath again, because whenever a messenger is assassinated, seventy thousand people are killed in return and when a caliph is assassinated, then thirty five thousand persons are killed" (Mazhari).

Hence, the sequence of mutual killing which had commenced with the Shahadah (martyrdom) of Sayyidna ` Uthman' ؓ has continued in the Ummah throughout. Similarly, the way assassins of ` Uthman ؓ acted against the blessings of Allah Ta’ ala and solidarity of Islam and were ungrateful to Him, the Rawafid and Khawarij did the same after that by grouping against the Guided Khulafa'. The incident of great sacrifice of Sayyidna Husain Ibn Ali ؓ also happened under the same sequence نسال اللہ الھدایہ و شکر نعمتۃ

Commentary

It has been described in the beginning of this Surah that the injunctions of Surah Nur mostly relate to prevention of obscenity and vulgarity. Under the same sequence some injunctions regarding social etiquette and mutual meetings are also enjoined. After that the injunctions about Hijab for women are prescribed.

The injunction for relatives and mahrams for seeking permission at specific timings

Earlier in this Surah the social etiquette and manners for mutual meetings were described in verses 27, 28 and 29 under the heading 'injunctions on seeking permission', where it was enjoined that if you go to visit someone, do not enter the house without taking permission. Irrespective of the situation whether it is a female section of the house or the male section, and whether the visitor is a man or a woman, it has been made obligatory on every one to seek permission before entering the house. However, these injunctions relate to those who come in the house as visitors. But in the present verses a different type of isti'dhan is enjoined. Here those persons are instructed to seek permission who live together in the same house and keep roaming in the rooms freely. In this category those men are also included with whom the hijab of women is not required (the mahrams). They, too, are advised to make some sort of sound, either by cleaning the throat or by thumping of steps, in order to make their presence felt. This type of isti'dhan is preferable and not obligatory, but to give it up is Makruh Tanzihi. Tafsir Mazhari has remarked:

فمن اراد الدخول فی بیت نفسہ و فیہ محرماتہ یکرہ لہ الدخول فیہ من غیر استیذان تنزیھا لاحتمال رؤیۃ واحدۃ منھن عریانۃ وھو احتمال ضعیف و مقتضاہ التنرہ (مظھری)

The one who intends to enter his own house, while it is occupied by his mahram ladies, it is not desirable (makruh tanzihi) for him to enter it without seeking permission, because of the possibility that one of those ladies is without clothes. However, since this possibility is a remote one, it requires precaution only (and not Prohibition).

This injunction relates to the time before entering the house, but once men-folk have entered the house, all the inmates live together and being members of the same family keep meeting each other within the house. For the family members living together there is another injunction of seeking permission at three specific times, which are the times of privacy. These three times are before the Fajr prayers, the resting time in the afternoon and in the night after ` Isha' prayers. At these times all the mahrams and relatives, even the young children and slave girls having sense, are prohibited to enter the private places without taking permission. It is to ensure that none should go in the private rooms without first seeking the permission. At these times one wants to be on one's own and sometimes takes off the extra clothes, while at times one is in a compromising position with his wife. During any of these situations one would feel very embarrassed and upset if seen by even a very young but sensible child or a woman of the household. In the least it will cause him disturbance in his rest. Hence, there is a need to take permission at these three specific times before entering the private chambers. After this injunction it is said لَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَلَا عَلَيْهِمْ جُنَاحٌ بَعْدَهُنَّ (58) that is besides these times there is no harm if you go to each other without any permission, because during all other times people are busy doing their normal duties and are properly attired in their usual clothing. These are also not the normal times for intimacy with the wife.

Here the question arises that enforcement of injunction on adult man and woman is normal, but why the young children are also commanded to comply with this injunction, which is not the normal practice.

The answer to this confusion is that in actual fact it is the adult men and women who are charged with this duty to explain to the young children not to go to private chambers at these times without taking permission. It is in the same manner as a hadith instructs to teach the prayers to children when they attain the age of seven years and persuade them to offer it. And when they attain the age of ten years they be bound down to offer prayers regularly, and if they default then they should be beaten to be regular in their prayers. Similarly, the injunction of isti'dhan in the above verse is actually for the adult men and women. In the sentence under discussion the word Junah is used to say that apart from these three times there is no harm if the inmates go in the private chambers without permission. Generally the word Junah is used for sin, but sometimes it is also used for harm or obstacle. Here in this verse it is used for the latter meaning, hence, any doubt of sinning on the part of children is also removed. (Bayan ul-Qur’ an)

Ruling

The phrase الَّذِينَ مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ (the slaves owned by you) used in verse (58) covers the meaning of both the slaves and the slave girls. Among them the adult slaves fall under the category of non-Mahrams under the Islamic law. As has been explained earlier, the mistress owner woman of an adult slave is obligated to be in hijab before him. Therefore, the phrase is purported to mean here the slave girls and minor slaves who roam about in the house freely.

Ruling

The scholars and jurists have different viewpoints on the question whether this type of isti'dhan is obligatory or merely commendable and whether this injunction is still valid or is abrogated. Majority of jurists have ruled that this verse is firm and thus not abrogated, and the injunction is obligatory both for men and women (Qurtubi). But it is obvious that the reason and ground for the injunction to be obligatory is that which is given above, that is, one wants to be on his own at these three times and likes privacy, and sometimes gets busy with his wife. However, if people could get into the habit of keeping their concealable parts covered even at these three times, and be careful to copulate with wife only at times when there is no possibility of anyone coming in, as is the norm these days, then it is not obligatory to restrain the relatives and children from entering without isti'dhan. In this situation it is no more obligatory for the relatives to follow it. But there is no doubt that it is a desirable and commendable act, though it seems that people have given it up for a long time. According to one narration Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ ', has used very strong words for ignoring it, and according to another narration he has put forward excuses for those who do not follow it.

The first narration is reported by Ibn Kathir on authority of Ibn Abi Hatim that Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Abbas ؓ has said that there are three verses which people have stopped following. One of them is this very verse of istidhan يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لِيَسْتَأْذِنكُمُ الَّذِينَ مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ (58) in which relatives and young children are instructed to seek permission. The second verse is وَإِذَا حَضَرَ‌ الْقِسْمَةَ أُولُو الْقُرْ‌بَىٰ (4:8) in which people are advised to hand over a part of the inheritance to those relatives also who are present at the time of division of patrimony but have no claim on it, in order to console them. The third verse is إِنَّ أَكْرَ‌مَكُمْ عِندَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ in which it is declared that the noblest among you in the sight of Allah is the most god-fearing of you. But these days such persons are regarded honorable and respectable who possess plenty of wealth and palatial houses. According to some other narration Ibn ` Abbas ؓ has also said that in respect of these three verses the Shaitan has overpowered the people. Then he said "I have restrained even my slave girl not to come to me without permission at these three times".

The second narration is also reported on authority of Ibn Abi Hatim by Sayyidna ` Ikrimah ؓ that two persons enquired from Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ عنہما about isti'dhan enjoined (by this verse) upon near relatives and commented that people have stopped acting on this. Ibn ` Abbas ؓ replied ان اللہ ستیریحبّ السّتر that Allah keeps cover on many things, and He likes the same for others. The fact of the matter is that at the time of revelation of this verse the society was very simple. People did not use curtains at the door nor did they have large beds with curtains. There used to be occasions when a child or servant would come in unannounced at a time the person was in a compromising position with his wife. It was to prevent such happenings that Allah Ta’ ala sent down this injunction to take permission at these three times. But now people use curtains at the door and large beds having curtains, which is considered enough for the purpose. Now there is no need for isti'dhan. (Having reproduced this narration Ibn Kathir has said ھٰذا اسناد صحیح الی ابن عباس ؓ (that is, the chain of its narrators is 'Sahih' i.e. authentic). In the light of this narration ascribed to Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ one thing is quite clear that when there is no apprehension of any one seeing the other in an uncovered position or involved with his wife, in that case some concession is allowed.

But Qur'an teaches for a pure society so that no one interferes in anyone's freedom and everybody lives in peace and comfort. Those who do not make their family members follow the practice of seeking permission they themselves face inconvenience and curb their natural instincts and desires.

Emphasis on hijab for women and an exemption

The injunction on hijab for women has already appeared earlier in detail in two verses, and two exemptions were also mentioned there. One exemption relates to the one who is seeing, and the other to that who is seen. According to the first exemption, young children and the slave girls are exempt. As for the second exemption, the outward adornment is exempt from hijab, which includes outer clothing like veil or covering sheet. There is agreement of all on this, but according to some, women's face and palms are also included in this exemption.

In the next verse the third exemption is granted on the basis of a woman's personal situation. If a woman has grown so old that no one would have any (sexual) desire towards her, nor is she marriageable, for such a woman concession in hijab is allowed in that even strangers (non-Mahrams) are treated like mahrams for her. She is not required to cover those parts of her body before non-Mahrams which are not required to be covered before mahrams. Hence, it is said وَالْقَوَاعِدُ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ اللَّاتِي (And those old women who have no hope for marriage - 60). The explanation of this verse is already given above. Although very old women are allowed to uncover those parts of their body before non-Mahrams which are not required to be covered before mahrams, yet this exemption is allowed with the condition that they do so without applying any makeup or adornment. The other thing said in the last is وَأَن يَسْتَعْفِفْنَ خَيْرٌ‌ لَّهُنَّ (60) that is, it is better for them if they avoid going before non-Mahrams altogether.